ZERO CALORIE DIET: ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31110/2616-650X-vol13i1-005Keywords:
fasting, health, effects of starvation, diet, prevention of aging and chronic diseasesAbstract
In the mind of an average person, brought up according to modern cultural traditions, the cessation of eating for a while is associated with starvation, exhaustion, discomfort and other unpleasant sensations of a subjective nature, and the known facts of death from starvation contribute to the formation of a negative attitude to starvation. At the same time, the practice of abstinence from food has long been known to a significant part of humanity as an effective natural means of recovery and/or treatment. Nature, as a bold dialectician, is capable of striking and healing with the same means, and therefore, the paradoxical nature of its methods is sometimes difficult to understand. Modern science tries to comprehensively investigate the mechanisms of physiological processes activated by hunger and reveals their significant potential for strengthening health, active longevity and reducing the risk of many chronic diseases. One of the general mechanisms of starvation is the activation of adaptive responses of cells to stress, which increase the body's ability to counteract disease processes, protect cells from DNA damage, inhibit the growth of weakened cells, stimulate their apoptosis, and prevent the occurrence and development of cancer. In addition, the mechanisms by which fasting improves health and counteracts disease processes include the activation of signaling pathways of the adaptive cellular response to stress, which improve mitochondrial function, repair DNA, and activate autophagy. The results of many studies indicate that various fasting patterns can provide effective strategies for slowing the aging process and optimizing health. At the same time, today there is not enough data on the impact of starvation on children's bodies, people of a respectable age and those with low body weight. Therefore, it is suggested that a zero-calorie diet may do more harm than good for these groups. One of the safest options is to abstain from food and high-calorie drinks for 12-24 hours one or more days each week or month, accompanied by regular exercise.
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